Has anyone experienced this?

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pgrace35
pgrace35 Member Posts: 122
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I finished chemo and will now be starting radiation. Just wondering the side effects anyone has experienced and also, this may sound strange...but my Rad oncologist said my breast will shrink. Did anyone have this problem and if so was it considerably noticable?

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  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
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    Hi Grace!
    I think that everyone is different when it comes to side effects with rads. It depends so much on that person's skin type, the size of the radiated area, the rads machine, the type of radiation treatment, how that person takes care of their skin, just so many variables. The rads machine at my cancer center was new so there was no burning of my skin. I did get pink and my skin was tender, but, never burnt. I used lots and lots of the creams all of the time and my skin looks and feels like a baby's behind now. You will be very tired, so, get lots of rest whenever you can. My breast didn't shrink, but, that is listed as one of the side effects. Your rads oncologist should give you written literature about rads and tell you everything. Have a list of questions for him to answer for you. There is a good thread on here by Noel. It is Radiation questions and answers, I think. There is a lot of good info in there. Good luck!

    Sue :)
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
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    Ritzy said:

    Hi Grace!
    I think that everyone is different when it comes to side effects with rads. It depends so much on that person's skin type, the size of the radiated area, the rads machine, the type of radiation treatment, how that person takes care of their skin, just so many variables. The rads machine at my cancer center was new so there was no burning of my skin. I did get pink and my skin was tender, but, never burnt. I used lots and lots of the creams all of the time and my skin looks and feels like a baby's behind now. You will be very tired, so, get lots of rest whenever you can. My breast didn't shrink, but, that is listed as one of the side effects. Your rads oncologist should give you written literature about rads and tell you everything. Have a list of questions for him to answer for you. There is a good thread on here by Noel. It is Radiation questions and answers, I think. There is a lot of good info in there. Good luck!

    Sue :)

    unfortunately
    it can be as one of side effects of radiation. It did happened with my flap breast 6 months after I finished radiation.
    My oncologist never told me about shrinked breast prior radiation treatment.
    Yes as Sue suggested try to search for previous discussions on radiation treatment.
    Good luck,
    New Flower
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
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    unfortunately
    it can be as one of side effects of radiation. It did happened with my flap breast 6 months after I finished radiation.
    My oncologist never told me about shrinked breast prior radiation treatment.
    Yes as Sue suggested try to search for previous discussions on radiation treatment.
    Good luck,
    New Flower

    No, it didn't happen to me.
    No, it didn't happen to me. Mine actually got bigger, but, it went back to normal after a few weeks of finishing rads. Good luck with your rads!

    KYLEZ ♥
  • lanie940
    lanie940 Member Posts: 490 Member
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    Ritzy said:

    Hi Grace!
    I think that everyone is different when it comes to side effects with rads. It depends so much on that person's skin type, the size of the radiated area, the rads machine, the type of radiation treatment, how that person takes care of their skin, just so many variables. The rads machine at my cancer center was new so there was no burning of my skin. I did get pink and my skin was tender, but, never burnt. I used lots and lots of the creams all of the time and my skin looks and feels like a baby's behind now. You will be very tired, so, get lots of rest whenever you can. My breast didn't shrink, but, that is listed as one of the side effects. Your rads oncologist should give you written literature about rads and tell you everything. Have a list of questions for him to answer for you. There is a good thread on here by Noel. It is Radiation questions and answers, I think. There is a lot of good info in there. Good luck!

    Sue :)

    I had no burning either with
    I had no burning either with RADS, only a slight pink which didn't even hurt. I used the clear aloe. I also used cream for dryness after I was finished and of course Dove soap to wash with. I almost have all the blue marks off! My breasts BOTH shrunk do to me losing so much weight from my Celiac issues. This has been harder to take than the breast cancer.

    Yes, the Rad machine where I went was only 2 years old a Varian Lyniear Excelerator I was told was what it was. Only thing I notice is my rt nipple is brown, not pink like my left one. My hubby says he likes it,LOL
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
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    Haven't done rads yet
    But my surgeon and oncologist both told me to expect some shrinkeage when my radiation starts. I had a lumpectomy.

    Good luck I'm right behind you !

    Cindy
  • teresa41
    teresa41 Member Posts: 471
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    Haven't done rads yet
    But my surgeon and oncologist both told me to expect some shrinkeage when my radiation starts. I had a lumpectomy.

    Good luck I'm right behind you !

    Cindy

    everyone is defferent
    mine never shrunk i just burnt really bad and was tired a lot.


    best of luck...

    teresa
  • pgrace35
    pgrace35 Member Posts: 122
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    teresa41 said:

    everyone is defferent
    mine never shrunk i just burnt really bad and was tired a lot.


    best of luck...

    teresa

    Thanks
    Thanks everyone... appreciate your imput!!! Happy New Year to all!
  • ppurdin
    ppurdin Member Posts: 1,181 Member
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    Radiation
    Hi,I have 7 more radiation treatments and I am done.yah I can,t wait.I think they are a lot easier then Chemo.They have made me tired.I take naps when I can.I drive 80 miles 5days a week to have my treatments.So that is tiresome also.I did burn and had to take a week break.Good luck.(Pat)
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
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    ppurdin said:

    Radiation
    Hi,I have 7 more radiation treatments and I am done.yah I can,t wait.I think they are a lot easier then Chemo.They have made me tired.I take naps when I can.I drive 80 miles 5days a week to have my treatments.So that is tiresome also.I did burn and had to take a week break.Good luck.(Pat)

    My breast did not shrink at
    My breast did not shrink at all. I did have a real bad burn on my claivical and neck area, not sure if you will need radiation there. I was also very tired. Take care
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
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    Hi Grace. I just finished
    Hi Grace. I just finished rads on Christmas Eve. I haven't noticed any shrinkage yet, so we'll see but I was told there would be some. Also, I did have some pinkness, no real burning, and I really wasn't all that tired from it. I continued to work 40 hours and do my exercising 4-5 times a week. I think it's different for everyone. Best of luck to you!!
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
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    shrinkage
    Hi Grace,
    I had a lumpectomy and then accelerated partial breast irradiation for 10 treatments over 5 days. I did not get any of the skin burns the other ladies have talked about. But my treated breast did eventually end up being smaller than the non -reated breast. That could have been from the tennis ball sized amount of tissue the surgeon removed or from the rads or both. However, my breast was a little swollen and full of fluid for a long time. The swelling went away so that the 'shrinkage' was noticable about 2 months post rads. Hope this info helps.
    ~~Connie~~
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
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    crselby said:

    shrinkage
    Hi Grace,
    I had a lumpectomy and then accelerated partial breast irradiation for 10 treatments over 5 days. I did not get any of the skin burns the other ladies have talked about. But my treated breast did eventually end up being smaller than the non -reated breast. That could have been from the tennis ball sized amount of tissue the surgeon removed or from the rads or both. However, my breast was a little swollen and full of fluid for a long time. The swelling went away so that the 'shrinkage' was noticable about 2 months post rads. Hope this info helps.
    ~~Connie~~

    Hi Grace, I didn't have any
    Hi Grace, I didn't have any burning when I had radiation; it was only pink. I didn't really notice much swelling after the radiation, but a few years later, I noticed that it was a bit smaller. I think that it was because I had gained weight and the other breast had increased in size more than the radiated breast.

    Joyce
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
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    jk1952 said:

    Hi Grace, I didn't have any
    Hi Grace, I didn't have any burning when I had radiation; it was only pink. I didn't really notice much swelling after the radiation, but a few years later, I noticed that it was a bit smaller. I think that it was because I had gained weight and the other breast had increased in size more than the radiated breast.

    Joyce

    I just got a little burn
    I just got a little burn next to my collarbone with rads, but, it wasn't bad. It didn't even peel. I used my Biafine and Aquaphor and did great. My breast didn't get smaller from rads. But, everyone reacts differently. I did get very tired, but, took lots of naps and went to bed early. Good luck!

    Lex♥
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
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    ..and here I thought only men had excuses for "shrinkage" ...
    sorry, couldn't help myself...
    Well pgrace at least you are through with chemo, which is rough and can now consider yourself on the last half of treatment. Radiation can be harder on some, easier on others. I had no shrinkage during rads, did burn quite a bit, and had some toughening of the skin. If there is shrinkage, it sure can't be much, my mom actually had a bit of swelling, and after three years, it still has not gone down. Go figure.
    Hope you sail through your treatments!
    Cat
  • jbug
    jbug Member Posts: 285
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    I'm halfway thru
    I'm halfway thru, my rad oncologist did say that "shrinkage" is a possibility. My breast is very pink and my nipple is VERY tender...using lots of lotions and potions. Your rad onc and staff will give you lots of good stuff to put on the area being treated.

    My bc and lumpectomy happen to be on the smaller breast! I joke w/husband and med professionals that I could have at least had it in the bigger breast! Then the rad onc telling me the smaller breast (already missing a chunk) is gonna shrink! Well, in all fairness, he said it might and he didn't really expect I would have much change.

    Good luck w/rads...lots on line that have been there before. God Bless!

    Julie
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000
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    jbug said:

    I'm halfway thru
    I'm halfway thru, my rad oncologist did say that "shrinkage" is a possibility. My breast is very pink and my nipple is VERY tender...using lots of lotions and potions. Your rad onc and staff will give you lots of good stuff to put on the area being treated.

    My bc and lumpectomy happen to be on the smaller breast! I joke w/husband and med professionals that I could have at least had it in the bigger breast! Then the rad onc telling me the smaller breast (already missing a chunk) is gonna shrink! Well, in all fairness, he said it might and he didn't really expect I would have much change.

    Good luck w/rads...lots on line that have been there before. God Bless!

    Julie

    Just finished
    Shrinkage or swelling can be a side effect of rads. I didn't burn either. I just am really pink and more tender where the boosters were at the tumor site. I am still using Biafine and Aquaphor for my skin. My radiation oncologist told me to for a couple of weeks at least. My breast didn't shrink at all. I wish you good luck with your radiation treatments.

    Megan